INTRO.- Did you ever know a “yes man” or “a teacher’s pet”? These such people have been called by other names, which are not so flattering or nice. What’s the idea?
The idea is someone who is always trying to please certain people (the teacher, the boss, etc.) in order to get on their good side. DID YOU KNOW SOMEONE LIKE THAT?
ILL.- I remember well a guy named Sam who worked for Safeway back in the 1960‘s. And I’d like to where he is now and what he’s done all his life, because he was a royal “yes man” for the manager of our store. He’d do anything the manager asked him to do. For example, if he worked the 3 to midnight shift and the manager asked him if he could come back to work at 7 the next morning, Sam would do it.
Why did he do it? Because he was a hard worker? Yes, he was a hard worker but I don’t think that was the main reason. I think it may have been two-fold: He wanted to get ahead and make that money. He wanted to move “up” in the grocery business, and of course, he wanted to please the manager. He knew that to move “up” he would have to do whatever the manager wanted him to do.
I think it’s good to be a hard worker and please your boss or manager.
Colossians 3:22-24 “Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”
Paul was speaking about slaves but I believe we can apply this to being an employee today. And he is saying that we must obey our earthly bosses not just to win their favor (Ah ha! There it is) but also and more importantly, out of reverence for the Lord.
We are serving the Lord whatever we do in life. And we must please Him most of all. And it is pleasing to Him when we work hard and/or do good work for our earthly employers.
Our ultimate boss, manager, employer, owner is the Lord! And more than anything in life we must seek His approval! We must be approved by Him!
Galatians 1:10 “Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.”
Paul was most concerned about winning God’s approval whether people approved of him or not. And so it should be with us. And Paul speaks of God’s approved worker in our text.
PROP.- The approved worker for the Lord is busy doing God’s business. What business?
1- God’s worker reminds people of scriptural truth
2- God’s worker correctly handles God’s Word
3- God’s worker avoids anything ungodly
I. GOD’S WORKER REMINDS PEOPLE OF SCRIPTURAL
TRUTH
14 Keep reminding them of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen.
ILL.- “If I told you once, I told you a thousand times to....” Did you ever say words like these to your kids? I’m sure you did.
It seems like kids need constant reminders to: pick up their clothes, clean their room, brush their teeth, wash their hands, blow their nose, comb their hair, turn off the lights, shut the door, do their homework, carry out the trash, etc. TRUE?
We all need to be reminded of important matters in life. And scripture is given to remind us to seek the Lord and His will for our lives. Scripture is full of constant reminders, which we NEED AND MUST HEED!
Romans 15:15 “I have written you quite boldly on some points, as if to remind you of them again, because of the grace God gave me.”
I also want to write boldly in order to remind people about the faith of Christ. I want to preach boldly as well! The professional Ministry (if you want to call it that) is basically constantly reminding the people in regard to the faith with the use of scripture. I’ve even started to do this on my “facebook” page by putting scriptures there, some of my daily prayers, and Christian quotes. I WANT TO ADVERTISE FOR THE LORD. I want to remind people about Jesus. I want to point to Him!
II Peter 1:12-13 “So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body.”
I, too, want to keep reminding people about the truth found in scripture even though we may know these truths. We need to be reminded again and again. And I will do it, Lord willing, as long as I have life as well!
But listen: it’s not just me. It’s not just me who is supposed to do this reminding business. We all should be reminding one another about the faith and living for Christ.
I Thessalonians 5:14 “And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone.”
This verse sounds like church members are supposed to warn and encourage other church members! And we are! We need to remind one another of our responsibilities as Christians.
ILL.- Elaine has often called absentee church members on Saturday night to remind them about church. I’ve heard her say things like, “You better get back to church or God will get you!” IS THAT THE IDEA? Her way is better than no way at all!
Have you warned anyone lately or encouraged them in the faith?
ILL.- I remember a revival we had in the Iberia, MO, church one time. The preacher who was preaching the revival for me was not afraid to talk to people about Jesus and their responsibility to him. I remember that we went to call on one young family that hadn’t been to church in a long time. After introducing the preacher to them, he said, “Steve tells me that you folks haven’t been to church in a long time. What is it that’s keeping you away from the church?”
Whoa! He was blunt but nice. I remember them stuttering a bit before answering him. And, of course, they’d been busy with this and that, etc. You know that old “song and dance” record.
While we may not relish the idea of reminding people about the faith we should do it. We’re here to speak for Jesus as best we can and any time we can. We need to remind people of scriptural truths but never quarrel or ague.
II. GOD’S WORKER CORRECTLY HANDLES GOD’S WORD
15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
Do you know what a left-handed monkey wrench is? There is no such thing. There is no difference in left-handed and right-handed when it comes a monkey wrench or many other things.
You probably know these tools very well: hammer, screwdriver, tape measure, level, chisel, pry bar, saw, power drill, measuring square, sawhorse, staple gun, nail gun, etc.
But do you know what a rasp is? Or what about a drawknife? (woodworking tool used for shaving wood). Or what about a plumb bob? (A plumb-bob or a plummet is a weight, usually with a pointed tip on the bottom, that is suspended from a string and used as a vertical reference line, or plumb-line.)
I am like you. I know some tools or a few tools but many I don’t know. Why? Because I don’t use them. And you probably don’t either. Unless you’re a carpenter you probably wouldn’t know about these tools.
Let’s look at it another way.
ILL.- This comes from a Catholic elementary school. Kids were asked questions about the Old and New Testaments. They have not been corrected.
* In the first book of the bible, Guinessis, God got tired of creating the world, so he took the Sabbath off.
* Adam and Eve were created from an apple tree. Noah’s wife was called Joan of Ark.
* Lot’s wife was a pillar of salt by day, but a ball of fire by night.
* The Egyptians were all drowned in the dessert. Afterwards, Moses went up on Mount Cyanide to get the ten amendments.
* The seventh commandment is thou shalt not admit adultery.
* Moses died before he ever reached Canada. Then Joshua led the Hebrews in the battle of Geritol.
* David was a Hebrew king skilled at playing the liar. He fought with the Finklesteins, a race of people who lived in Biblical times.
* Solomon, one of David’s sons, had 300 wives and 700 porcupines.
* Jesus enunciated the Golden Rule, which says to do one to others before they do one to you. He also explained, "a man doth not live by sweat alone."
* It was a miracle when Jesus rose from the dead and managed to get the tombstone off the entrance.
* The people who followed the lord were called the 12 decibels. The epistles were the wives of the apostles.
* Christians have only one spouse. This is called monotony.
Now obviously, these kids didn’t know what they were talking about. They were close in some ways, but not close enough.
How many books are there in the Bible? (66) OT? (39) NT? (27) What are the four gospels? How many people were converted on the day of Pentecost as recorded in Acts 2? What did the early Christians do every first day of the week? What group of people are called “servants” in the church? Who talked to the eunuch about Jesus and baptized him?
Do you know the book? Do you know the tool by which you are to know God and lead people to Christ?
15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
III. GOD’S WORKER AVOIDS ANYTHING UNGODLY
16Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. 17Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18who have wandered away from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some.19Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: "The Lord knows those who are his," and, "Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness."
16Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly.
Godless chatter could be any kind of talk that leaves God out of the conversation or especially, the kind of talk that is corrupt, crude, or indecent.
ILL.- My first Safeway store manager was a man named Eugene Decocq and he was a dandy: married, four children, and deacon in some Community church in town. I remember one time when he called several of us clerks to the back room and then he proceeded to tell us a dirty joke. THAT’S GODLESS CHATTER!
ILL.- I also remember one of the Safeway employees who was friendly, but all he could talk about was girls. I think he was girl crazy and he didn’t talk about them in a nice way. It was always sexual. THAT’S GODLESS CHATTER!
Colossians 3:8 “But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.”
Ephesians 5:3-4 “But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.”
Did you hear about? Do you know that so and so....? Have you heard the latest news about....? Here is something you’ve got to hear! Just in passing, did you know...? Guess what happened to ....? THESE COULD WELL BE GODLESS CHATTER.
Romans 1:28-30 “Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents.”
Avoid godless chatter. And avoid godless anything! The approved worker of God avoids anything and everything that is godless!
It could be godless chatter that is corrupt, crude, rude, coarse, or careless. Godless chatter could include godless teaching that is false teaching. And it could be godless living.
Instead of listening to and being involved in godless stuff we are to be as godly as possible! WE MUST AVOID GODLESSNESS AT ALL COSTS!
We may have to decline some invitations, saying, “I’m a Christian or a follower of Christ, I won’t do that.”
ILL.- I walked out of Safeway one night and the manager (a different manager) had a six-pack of beer with him. He opened one and offered me one. I said, “Sorry, I don’t drink.” He said, “What are you sorry for?” Like, I didn’t need to say I was sorry, just decline. Of course, he may have been wanting me to explain why I didn’t drink or want to drink.
And we all should stand up and be counted for godliness! We should not be afraid to witness for Christ or stand for our faith.
There are some things that other people do which we should decline and perhaps, saying, “I won’t do that because I’m a Christian.”
I Peter 3:15 “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.”
God’s worker avoids all ungodliness and takes a stand for Christ.
CONCLUSION------------------------
Isaiah 6:8 “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”
After Isaiah had seen the Lord, He was humbled and said, “Here am I. Send me.” In a real sense, he became a “yes” man for the Lord.
WHAT ABOUT YOU? If we have truly seen the Lord by faith we can’t help but fall down before Him and exclaim, “Here I am. Use me. Send me.” BE A "YES" PERSON FOR THE LORD!
Steve Shepherd, Jonesboro Christian Church, AR
jonesborochristianchurch@suddenlink.net
